Post Scriptum
by levitrius9
Summary: The battle against the final Fallen God has begun but when Atro and his comrades face an unexpected enemy, do they have the ability to take them down? Sequel to "Wings" and final chapter to my Brave Frontier Trilogy "I Will Never Give Up On You". Enjoy and please visit my page or the Brave Frontier tag to find the other chapters!


7-4-15

" _ **Post Scriptum"**_

 _ **Author's Note – This is the final piece to my Brave Frontier trilogy. It is the sequel to "Wings" and the ending to "I Will Never Give Up on You". To those who have stayed with my story since the beginning, thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this final chapter!**_

How could this happen?

How could we have let this happen?

I scowled as I took another swing at one of the many monsters in this god-forsaken place called the La Genna Deadlands. With a pained screech, the Skeleton King dropped to the ground before disappearing in a heap of dust. I wasted no time cutting down another Skeleton King, Urias glowing brightly in my hands, seemingly projecting my anger out onto the battlefield.

Lugina, Paris, Karl and Seria were taking down the enemies ahead, carving a path so that my party could make it through and inside Afla Dilith. While they accomplished their roles tremendously, that didn't stop the enemy stragglers from taking their hand at us. Thankfully, my party had each other's backs. Taking the front line was Lance as well as myself, my blade as well as his pike easily making quick work of the monsters in this wasteland. Selena, albeit reluctantly, had stayed behind to calm the others during this stressful situation. Fei and Fang, an unbeatable duo, decimated their foes with their deadly waltz. Aneil and Lucana took to the rear, both of them blasting foes with their powerful elemental magic. However, our group seemed incomplete because of the one person who was missing from it.

Our summoner.

Striking down the last enemy we faced in the area, my thoughts went back to what had happened a few days prior.

 _"One last blow! Together!" you cried._

 _Combining our strength, Selena, Kaito, Rin, Tora, you and myself dealt the final blow to Zurg. He let out a pained cry before his demonic body hit the ground with a crash. The mysterious machine that Zurg had attached himself to during the battle was no longer functional. The demon himself was unmoving on the ground. Catching my breath, I turned around to see you catch your breath before you smiled at us. The battle was difficult. We were all tired and exhausted, wounds covering each of us from head to toe, but that didn't stop us from smiling back._

 _"We did it!" Rin cheered._

 _"We really did! Great job guys!" You praised._

 _However, the celebration didn't last long. I noticed your eyes widen in surprise as your attention quickly veered to something behind us. You grit your teeth, fangs making themselves present, as you suddenly went into a defensive stance. Turning around, we saw Zurg pushing himself off the ground, swirls of darkness enveloping his tattered body. Impossible. He couldn't have survived our attacks. His head suddenly snapped up in our direction, Tora flinching backwards to hide behind me. His blood lust eyes sparked in anger._

 _"No...I will not fall here. I must bring you back to him. I refuse to fail." he choked out._

 _What? Bring who back?_

 _Without giving me time to even think about an answer to those questions, Zurg dashed forward at a speed I didn't think was possible for his damaged body. There was barely time for any of us to react before he appeared before you. Your eyes widened in a mixture of shock and fear. Your hand quickly made its way to the hilt of your sword, but before you could draw it, he grabbed you by the throat. A strangled cry left your lips as your hands flew to the claw that choked you as you desperately struggled to break free._

 _We quickly went on the offensive, Tora, despite her own panic, moving first._

 _"Leave her alone!"_

 _She drew her knife; eyes narrowed angrily but Zurg's tail easily knocked her away. Not missing a beat, Zurg quickly sidestepped over to Rin as she came running in, microphone in hand. Grabbing her by the collar of her shirt, he threw her, sending her crashing into Kaito. Both of them landed in a tangled heap of flailing limbs. Selena and I made our move, anger in both of our eyes._

 _"Unhand her!" Selena yelled._

 _Your consciousness was slowly slipping from being in Zurg's hold and when he saw us coming, he took advantage of your weakened state by slinging you over his shoulder. Dodging both of our strikes, his tail wrapped around the hilt of Selena's sword before he kicked her away. Not expecting such a powerful retaliation from him, I tried to step back but it didn't take long for him to appear in my field of vision. My eyes could only widen before I felt a strong fist collide with my gut. I gasped in pain as Urias dropped from my grasp._

 _"If you want her back then you will face my master. He awaits you at Wolf's Lair in the country of Vriksha." he whispered before backing away._

 _The force on my gut lifted, I crumpled to the ground. Everything hurt, my wounds from the previous battle with Zurg keeping me from fighting at my fullest. Tilting my head up, I watched as Zurg started to disappear, ribbons of darkness swirling around him. At that moment, fear gripped me. The fear of losing you. Forcing myself off the ground, I grabbed Urias and charged._

 _"No!"_

 _Swinging my blade, Zurg threw me one last wounded smirk before he, along with you, faded away. Urias striking air, I was thrown off balance by my own swing and stumbled to the ground. It was only a moment later when I felt a hand around my arm and gently hoist me up. I could only grit my teeth as Kaito helped me to my feet, my eyes shifting to the spot that was occupied by both you and Zurg only seconds ago. Selena eyed the spot as well, a look of disbelief and agony on her face as tears prickled at the corners of her eyes._

 _"No..."_

I snapped back to reality when I felt a reassuring hand on my shoulder. Turning my gaze over to the person it belonged to, I was greeting by Fei, a soft yet sad smile on his face.

"We'll get her back." he tried to reassure me.

I was always grateful to Fei. Ever since we helped Fang rescue him from the clutches of Xie Jing, both he and Fang proved to be worthy allies and even better friends. Still, while I was grateful for his efforts, those kind words did not ease my worry. Our summoner was taken away from us. The one person who gave me a purpose by granting me a new life and teaching me that I was much stronger than I ever thought I was. Because of her, I am who I am now and yet...

I failed to protect her.

My eyes narrowed at my own negative thoughts. No! I wasn't going to think like this! We will get her back! Shaking my head with a low growl, I turned to Fei and nodded my head in determination. Fei nodded back before Fang made her way over to his side and encouraged us to keep on moving forward with the rescue mission.

We had been fighting all this time and finally, there was an opening for us to make our way inside Afla Dilith. Tilith hovered close by, eyes narrowed in determination and focus. She raised a hand into the air, firing a powerful blast of magic at the remaining enemies that blocked our path. With no defense left for the castle and our own battle cries filling the air, Tilith and our squad charged into the depths of the castle that was the Fallen God. We could hear the clatter of steel gradually fade behind us as Karl and the others stayed behind to keep the outside forces occupied.

When the sound of fighting finally faded from our ears, we took a moment to survey our new surroundings. The inside of the castle was grim. That much wasn't surprising. Heavy stone walls and arches looked like they were ready to crumble at any moment. Statues of unknown warriors lined each corridor. A few feet away, several staircases led up to other areas of the castle. We knew that one of them would lead us back to our summoner.

While the castle itself didn't look like much, we had nearly forgotten that we were inside Afla Dilith himself. Even with Tilith's barrier protecting us, as well as sustaining us without our summoner, we could feel the Fallen God's power.

Tilith's eyes narrowed as she glared up at the staircase. A swarm of monsters were making their way towards us. Even with Karl and the others taking care of things outside, that didn't stop Afla Dilith from trying to stop us inside his castle. My gaze shifted to the goddess when a ball of energy started forming in her hands. In all the time we had known her, she was always upbeat and cheerful. To see her this determined and serious to save our summoner filled me with a sense of pride. She truly did care and love her like family. Turning to us, the goddess flashed us a quick smile.

"I'll handle the enemies here. My barrier should protect you even if I'm not present. You just make sure you bring my beloved summoner back, you hear?"

Nodding to her and giving her a soft smile of my own, our squad left Tilith to keep these enemies at bay as we searched for our summoner.

"So this castle is only a projection that Afla Dilith created, right?" Lucana asked as we ran.

"Yeah. He can't be far. According to Zurg, he's still recovering from his previous battle which means his real body has to be here somewhere." I explained.

"And when we defeat him?" Fang asked.

"We get big sis back, right?" Aneil answered.

I nodded. Aneil, like the majority of us, looked up to our summoner. To him, she was the big sister who could encourage him to be brave and find something worth fighting for. I could only smile softly. We all wanted her back and we weren't going to let Afla Dilith keep us from doing that.

We ran through each corridor, going up every staircase and checking every room. While it was certainly a hassle, as some of the rooms were filled with enemies waiting to ambush us, we knew we were closing in. The more we searched the castle, the less places Afla Dilith had left to hide. Finally, we came upon a lone double door at the far end of the castle. We hadn't come across it before. As we approached it, the powerful pressure that we had felt upon arriving here only intensified. There was no doubt about it.

Afla Dilith was just beyond this door.

"Just wait a little bit longer. We're almost there." I whispered.

Taking a breath, I gripped the handle of one door, Lance gripping the handle of the other. Nodding to one another, we pushed and the doors opened with a loud creak. We made our way in what appeared to be a massive throne room. Taking cautious steps inside, I couldn't help but glare when my gaze found the figure we were looking for sitting across from us. There, sitting on his throne, in all his hulking glory, was Afla Dilith. His massive form took up the bulk of the throne as he sat there with one leg resting over the other. A clawed hand held his head up as he eyed us with a seemingly bored expression. By his side, one to his left, the other to his right, were two demons. A beautiful water demon and a demon of fire that held some sort of pitchfork for a weapon.

As we approached him, the door behind us closed with a heavy thud. It looks like he wasn't going to be letting us out anytime soon. We didn't mind it though. We weren't going to leave until we got our summoner back. Afla Dilith sat up straight before lifting his hands to us as if in greeting.

"Ah! Welcome, my friends." his deep voice boomed across the room.

"I have been expecting you. I must say, I am rather impressed that you went through all this trouble to find me." he said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

I snarled, taking a step forward.

"Enough with the pleasantries. Where is she?" I demanded.

Alfa Dilith feigned a look of confusion.

"Don't you dare play coy with us! Where is our summoner!?" Lance repeated.

A smirk forming on his lips, Afla Dilith sat back on his throne.

"Ah! You mean the lovely young lady with the demonic blood? I'm not quite sure. Was she the one I used for target practice? After all, I was getting bored with my minions and she was quite able bodied." he mused.

I heard an uncharacteristic growl come from Lance as his grip on Drevas tightened. He was usually the calm and collected one but it looked like his composure was starting to break. He took a threatening step forward but, before he could do anything reckless, I held a hand in front of him. Thankfully, he stepped back but his posture still held a threatening edge.

"Holding back I see. Don't you want to know what I've done to your precious summoner? How I slowly broke her will by telling her how her precious family would fade away into nothing without her?" he mocked.

I couldn't help but gasp in shock before my expression contorted into one of anger.

"Tch!"

It was then that I noticed movement to my left and when I turned my head I saw Aneil conjuring up his magic, anger in his emerald eyes.

"Give her back!"

"Wait!" I called to him in a panic but it was too late.

He fired his magic at Afla Dilith. Yet, even as the magic was shooting towards him, he didn't show an ounce of concern. We would soon come to realize why. Just before the blast could connect with its target, something dropped down from the ceiling and incinerated the blow. Aneil's destroyed magic erupted into a blast that shook the entire room. We had to shield our faces from the debris and dust. When everything settled down, we realized that the thing that protected Afla Dilith from the attack was a person.

The figure that stood before us looked to be feminine. She wore black boots that came just above her ankles. She sported a black short-sleeved shirt with black shorts but a matching cloak with a hood obscured her face. In her hands was an intricate onyx scythe. It must have been what she used to cut through Aneil's magic. However, to be able to do such a thing, this unexpected foe had to be quite powerful. Still, I couldn't help this nagging feeling in my chest that was telling me this person was very familiar. The way she held her weapon looked more like a sword grip than a scythe grip. I had learned this from watching Elza and Alice spar countless times. Her stance was also familiar, as if I had fought her before. Though I couldn't see her face, it felt like her gaze was piercing my soul.

"Oh? Are you feeling a sense of familiarity?" Afla Dilith questioned, as if he had just read my thoughts.

I glared at him but he only smiled that mocking smile of his. He raised a hand to the cloaked figure before us and laughed.

"You said you wanted your summoner back, yes?"

My eyes widened ever so slightly. An overwhelming feeling of dread suddenly surfaced in the pit of my stomach. Where was he going with this?

We watched as the cloaked figure used her free hand to remove the hood that obscured her face.

"Then try and take her back!"

I could feel my chest ache as my breath hitched. My heart throbbed painfully as I looked in stunned disbelief at the figure that stood in our way. Crimson eyes that once shined so brightly and were always filled with kindness were now dull and emotionless. Her lips, almost always curved in a smile, were plastered into a thin line as she lifted her scythe and pointed it our way. The one person we wanted to so desperately save was now our greatest obstacle.

Our very own summoner.

I took a shaky step back, all intentions of defeating this once unknown enemy thrown to the curb. This couldn't be happening.

"W-what have you done to her?!"

An unamused expression crossed Afla Dilith's face.

"Did I not just tell you? All I had to do was break her. While it was challenging at first, the moment I mentioned family, manipulating her will to serve me became all too easy. She is still a half demon. While I may be the Beast God, a demon is as much of a beast as any. Your precious summoner is mine! However, since you have come all this way just for her, I shall be merciful to you."

Afla Dilith's attention turned to you.

"Show them how much you missed them, my dear demon child. Grace them with your true form and..."

His eyes sparked with cruelty.

"Kill them."

With those orders given, we could only watch as the grip around your scythe tightened. A strong pulse of energy emanated from you as your human form started to change into one I hadn't seen in quite some time. Your round pupils turned into slits, similar to the eyes of a cat. Your normally unnoticeable fangs elongated enough to be seen even with your mouth closed. However, the most striking thing about your demon form was the black wing like structure that sprouted from your right shoulder blade. While it looked like a wing, it was made up of shadows that you freely controlled in your demon form. The shadows swirled freely like clouds although they still stayed contained in that wing-like form. Bright spots that resembled stars dimly danced in tandem with your shadows. Looking at it was almost like looking into the night sky itself.

I heard a gasp from behind me and I could only guess it was from Lucana as my attention was focused on you. You rarely changed into your demon form. Considering it was much more powerful, you only changed when there was no other option, preferring to stay in your human form.

Now, to see you in this form against us, I finally understood the meaning behind Zurg's words.

 _"A powerful demon lives among your precious family. They will betray you and everyone you hold dear."_

I grit my teeth. So he knew. Zurg knew this would happen. That's why he took you from us. It was so Afla Dilith could use you against us. I almost wanted to believe that this was nothing but a nightmare but I knew very well that this was reality.

Without warning, you charged, twirling your scythe in your hands as you made a beeline for Lucana. Her eyes widened as she brought her staff in front of her as meager defense. Thankfully, I was able to draw Urias in time, get in front of her and block your blow. Our weapons met with a reverberating clang. Blue eyes met red but this was nothing like the moment we shared by the waterfall. Your eyes were cold. Mine were desperate. I called out your name but there was no response from you.

"You have to snap out of it!" I pleaded.

My words went on deaf ears as you quickly pulled your scythe away causing me to lose my balance. The next moment, I felt a sharp kick to my gut and was sent to the ground. Fei and Fang quickly jumped in your way, using their blades to pin your scythe down. Lucana made her way to my side to make sure I was alright.

"We don't want to hurt you!" Fang cried, trying to get through to you.

Again, their voices fell on deaf ears as you pulled the hilt of your scythe up, using the ground as leverage. The action loosened your scythe just enough for you to break it free from Fei and Fang's blades and you quickly used the opportunity to strike at a staggering Fang. However, Fei was having none of it as he intercepted the blow. Lance came from the side, slamming Drevas to the ground. He summoned vines that wrapped around you in an attempt to immobilize you. It seemed to work as you struggled to break free. However, it wouldn't hold you long as you used your wing to tear them off. Hurrying to my feet, I heard some laughing and my attention turned to Afla Dilith. The bastard was enjoying this. It was then that a thought came to me. If we could take down Afla Dilith, his hold on you would be broken.

"Fei! Fang! Lance!" I called.

The three of them turned to me simultaneously. I wasted no time giving them my orders.

"Go for Afla Dilith!"

There was no time to explain the plan but they seemed to have an idea of what I was going to do. With nods, the three of them turned their focus on Afla Dilith. The Fallen God only greeted them with a smirk as my comrades charged towards him. I asked Lucana to accompany them, as her healing would be beneficial to them more than us. She took off with a hesitant nod. I turned to Aneil, the only other member of our squad left, as he watched you break free from you vine prison. Your wing flared in aggression as you took up your scythe once more.

"What are we going to do?" he asked, fear in his eyes, torn between attacking you and protecting his comrades.

"We have to keep her here." was my only answer as I pointed Urias at you.

Behind us, we could hear the sounds of a new battle start as Lance, Fei, Fang and Lucana took their hand at Afla Dilith. However, it seemed like Afla Dilith finally allowed the other two demons by his side to join the fray. I knew then that this battle would be a fight for our lives as well as yours. I don't want to fight you but if this is the only way to buy them time and save you, then so be it. We were ready to do whatever it took to get you back.

The battle was fierce. Afla Dilith, powerful in his own right, was proving to be a difficult opponent to take down. The twin demons helping him didn't make the battle any easier. Still, Lance, Lucana, Fei and Fang fought diligently and without relent. Even so, they were accumulating wounds and it would only be a matter of time before they would tire out.

Our side of the battlefield wasn't a walk in the park either. We weren't unscathed. Bruises and cuts covered our bodies. Dents were evident in my armor, which made it difficult to breath. You, despite looking fine, were starting to tire as well. However, under Afla Dilith's control, he didn't give your body a chance to rest. You attacked us relentlessly. I parried another swing from your scythe. You followed up with another attack and I narrowly dodged the blow and bounced back. As you closed in, a blast of magic made you jump back. I glanced at Aneil and threw him a thankful nod for giving me the opportunity to catch my breath. Even though we were fighting against you, we still had no intentions of hurting you, Aneil's attacks purposefully missing and my sword swings not as strong as they normally are. With each attack you threw our way, we continued to call your name, talk to you, trigger your memories...anything. Anything that would get you to stop and come back to us. Yet, it was to no avail. My heart started to sink.

What if we really did lose you...

The room shook as we heard Afla Dilith bellow. Lance had just struck a powerful blow to the Fallen God and he was letting out a cry of pain. However, before he could follow up with another strike, the fire demon blocked his path and pushed him back. It looked like they were pushing Afla Dilith to his limit as he glared down at us. He raised a hand to the air.

"That is enough, you pests! Learn your place!"

Crackling dark magic left his fingers as bolts of darkness shot out in our squad's direction. Not expecting the attack, the blow struck my comrades and they fell to the ground with pained grunts.

"Ngh! Can't...move." Lance gasped as he tried to move his unresponsive body.

Afla Dilith still had his hand in the air, possibly sustaining the paralyzing magic. However, while the attack struck my comrades, I was the only one that was spared.

Why?

There was no time to ponder the question as I saw you walk over to a downed Aneil. However, instead of using your scythe, your wing flared once again, several small clouds of shadow separating from it. My eyes widened in alarm. I knew that attack. The clouds of shadow that had separated from your wing hovered around you before changing into crystal shards. Aneil looked up, fear crossing his face.

"B-big...sis?" he whispered, tears stinging at his eyes.

Still, your expression remained emotionless as the shards around you rocketed towards Aneil. They would never get the chance to harm him. In desperation, as I was the only one able to move, I threw myself in front of the earth unit, Urias held defensively in front of me. While Urias protected my face, the rest of my body wasn't so lucky. I felt the sharp shards strike my armor and unprotected skin. I couldn't help but cry out in pain as I fell to one knee after the onslaught was over.

"Atro!" Aneil called my name.

I cursed under my breath. Everything hurt. It was hard to breathe. Yet, all I could hear in the distance was the sound of Afla Dilith's laughing.

"You really do care for her the most, don't you?" he asked, looking at me with a cruel smile.

Still catching my breath, I remained quiet. A light bulb seemed to go off inside the Fallen God's head as he let out an amused chuckle.

"Ah! I see! She's much more than just a friend or summoner to you, isn't she? That's why, despite me sparing you from my attack, you protect your comrades yet still refuse to harm her."

I wince internally. As much as I refuse to admit it, Afla Dilith had hit the nail on the head. To me, you are much more than just my summoner. You are someone very precious to me. Still keeping my comrades paralyzed under his magic, he gave me a serious look that almost made me shiver.

"Very well. Then I shall give you the honor of dying by her hand first."

With those words said, my attention turned to you once more. You had drawn your scythe again with the intent to end my life. I slowly staggered to my feet, a look of sadness crossing my face. I made sure to leave some distance between Aneil and myself so he wouldn't get targeted. This was my last chance to get you back. This would be a duel between the two of us that would decide the outcome of this battle. However, what you didn't know was that my will to fight you was already starting to fade.

Like the many times throughout this battle, you charged at me. I was able to dodge the blow and swing Urias in a weak counter attack. Your scythe easily caught my holy blade and you retaliated with a swipe to my left side. Unable to dodge, I felt it pierce my skin just under my armor, leaving a neat gash. Blood seeped from the wound as I backed away from you in an attempt to collect myself but you didn't give me the time to do so. Another flick of your wrist and Urias flew from my grasp, landing a few feet away from me. Your wing flaring, another wave of crystal shards materialized before being flung in my direction. Without Urias to protect myself, I could only use my arms as a shield before I was hit once more. One shard managed to knock off my headpiece, sending it clattering to the floor. I grunted, taking the attack and refusing to go down. The shards dissolved away after making contact.

"Atro! Stop!" Lucana screamed.

Another wave of shards and this time I couldn't help but crumple to the ground after the attack.

"Atro! Stay down!" Lance pleaded with me as if me not resisting would save my life.

I already knew that wasn't the case.

"How ironic. The woman you tried to save being the one to kill you. I suppose it's fitting. She's a demon, a monster. She doesn't belong with a 'family' like yours. After all, you're all nothing but a hindrance to her." Afla Dilith explained.

Despite my pain, my lips turned to form a scowl. He was wrong!

My thoughts went back to when we first met. How you treated me with acceptance and kindness despite being a unit that no one else wanted. To the moment we shared at the waterfall. How you told me it was because of us that you had the freedom to do anything. We weren't a hindrance. We were your freedom. You weren't a monster. Afla Dilith was the monster. My mind conjured up images of us as a family. The way your crimson eyes lit up with joy whenever a new member joined our ever-growing family. The pride that crossed your face every time we completed a mission. It brought warmth to my heart. Afla Dilith didn't know the brightness of your smile or the gentleness of your gaze. He knew nothing.

But I knew everything. We all did.

Using the remaining strength I had, I slowly pushed myself off the ground and onto my feet. Once again, shards materialized around you intending to end my life once and for all. You shot them forward.

"Atro!" one of my comrades called out to me but I wasn't sure whom.

Instead of focusing on the voice that called me, I did the one thing you always said you loved seeing.

I smiled.

It was a soft, gentle smile. The same smile you would give to my comrades and me whenever you had the opportunity. It was a smile that conveyed every ounce of trust and respect I had, and still have, for you. It was a smile that held no regrets for having the opportunity to know you.

Suddenly, stopping just centimeters away from piercing my body, the shards froze in mid air. Surprised, I looked closely to see that your body was shaking. Your eyes, that had been expressionless this entire time, were flickering with a vast array of emotions. It was as if you didn't know what to do anymore and I knew at that moment that I had hit home. Staggering forward, going around the shards that were still frozen in place, I made my way to you. Placing a gentle hand on your cheek, I looked into those crimson orbs of yours as they looked back at me in confusion and pain. You looked so lost. The feeling I had felt when our eyes met at the waterfall returned to me. I smiled softly.

"I knew you were in there." I whispered.

Tugging your wrist gently, the scythe falling from your grasp and onto the floor, I pulled you into a tight embrace.

"So please come back to me..."

I softly stroked your hair.

"Phantom."

I heard a growl come from Afla Dilith.

"What? I'm losing control? No! It cannot be! I won't allow it."

Afla Dilith raised his free hand, dark magic dancing around his fingertips. As he fired his dark magic, I closed my eyes and held you tighter. I braced for impact and heard an explosion from the blast, however there was no pain. What just happened?

Taking a chance, I cracked my eyes open. My mouth opened in awe. Surrounding us was a sphere made up of your darkness. It acted as a shield from Afla Dilith's attack. I couldn't help but marvel at the sight. It was like being among the stars in space. It was then that I felt a hand on my arm, snapping me out of my stupor.

Slowly pulling away from the embrace I had on you, my eyes nearly watered when I saw your face. Eyes that were cold and emotionless not too long ago, were looking back at me with softness. Lips that had stayed in a thin line throughout this ferocious battle were turned upwards in a small smile. I felt a hand on my cheek as another hand pushed my bangs away from my face.

"I'm right here," you whispered.

Your voice was raspy, probably because you haven't spoken since Afla Dilith had taken control of you but there was no mistaking it. That was your voice. The voice of the summoner we all knew, respected and loved. I couldn't help but feel this overwhelming sense of joy as I gently grasped your shoulders to keep myself from shaking. This wasn't the time to be overwhelmed by my own emotions. Regaining my composure, I noticed you eying my wounds, a frown on your face. Grasping your hand with my own, I quickly reassured you.

"It's not your fault."

You didn't seem all that convinced but you gave me a small nod anyway.

"We need to help the others." I said softly, knowing full well that we were still in the middle of a battle.

Your demon eyes sparkling brightly, you nodded.

"No one messes with our family."

I nodded in reply, a small smile on my face.

"Yeah."

With that said, you turned around, the barrier you had conjured up, changing into shards. Afla Dilith coming into our line of sight, you wasted no time firing your projectiles at the Fallen God. A look of disbelief crossed his face as he met your angry gaze. A second later, he let out a howl as your shards made impact. Immediately, the hold he had over our comrades lifted and they

were on their feet. They looked at you with the same expression I had on my face only a moment ago. Afla Dilith still recovering from your blow, your voice rang throughout the room.

"Let's take him down and go home!"

Reinvigorated by your return, our squad did just that, quickly going on the offensive. Before we could join them, two obstacles blocked our path. The fire and water demon that served Afla Dilith. While I was ready to attack them, the water demon did something I didn't expect. She summoned a mist of water that I felt healing us. I could feel the pain in my aching body slowly ebb away. Confused, I turned to you in time to see you give a thankful nod to the demon.

"Thank you." The water demon said.

"Eh?" was my dumbfounded answer.

"Afla Dilith was controlling these two as well. When he was controlling me, I heard their cries for help but I couldn't do anything. However, it's thanks to them that I was able to learn Afla Dilith's weakness. That attack I did just now, I aimed some of my shards at the space between the throne and his back. His body is attached to that throne. It is how this castle stands but it is his greatest weakness." you explained.

I nodded my head in understanding. By attacking such a weak spot on Afla Dilith, you were able to release the two demons from his hold as well.

"Let us help you." The fire demon said.

You nodded before they took off to join the battle. Walking up to my headpiece that was knocked off, you picked it up and handed it back to me. Nodding in thanks, I put it back on and we joined the battle.

With you back, as well as the help from the two released demons, the battle had begun to turn one sided. Weakened by our comrades earlier and his weak spot exposed, Afla Dilith was no longer smirking. Instead, panic crossed his face as he tried to protect himself from our onslaught. The fire and water demons moved quickly, combining their elements to strike the god with a powerful blast. Ducking under a wave of dark magic, Fei and Fang closed the gap with their Sunder Waltz. Lucana and Aneil had no fear of being attacked as they reigned down the power of Expel from Union and Liberation. Lance, his demon pike deflecting the Fallen God's attacks, retaliated with a powerful blow with Great Tree of Ruin. Moving in quickly, your wing sharpening, you dashed forward, cutting a neat gash through Afla Dilith's unprotected chest. He let out a pained cry as he slumped forward, weak spot left completely undefended. Eyes narrowing, it was my turn.

"You'll never take anyone away from us again." I yelled in anger.

In my hands, Urias gleamed brighter than it had ever done before. I felt a massive surge of familiar energy within me. There was no doubt in my mind that it was Urias heeding my cry. Accepting Urias' power, my blade struck true, tearing through Afla Dilith's weak point and erupting into a ball of light. The Fallen God let out a cry of pain as his body disintegrated into nothing. Landing on the ground, I was met with awed stares from my comrades.

"Woah..." Lance gawked.

As I was about to retort with a small chuckle, the floor beneath us started to shake. Scratch that...more like the entire castle. It was beginning to crumble with us still inside it!

"The castle's coming down! We need to get out of here!" Fang informed.

Easier said than done. We were far from the entrance of the castle. On top of that, we were all exhausted. Aneil jumped back, narrowly avoiding a chunk of debris that fell from the ceiling. Panic started to swell within us. How the hell were we going to get out? Just then, an ever-familiar voice rang out to us.

"Guys!"

It was Tilith! The goddess, a pile of clothes in her hands was quickly making her way towards us. I had never been happier to see her. Upon catching sight of you, she called your name and ran faster. Arms outstretched, the clothes still held tightly in her grasp, she threw herself at you. You nearly toppled over as she nuzzled your cheek with her own.

"You're okay!" she exclaimed happily.

She pulled away and stared at you as if she had just realized something.

"You look different." she mused.

After all, you were still in your demon form. Your eyes looking around at the crumbling castle, you gave Tilith a nervous laugh.

"I'm sorry, Tilith, but this isn't exactly the right time for this." you informed.

She jumped up in realization.

"You're right! Let's get out of here!"

Grabbing your hand, she quickly ordered the rest of us to link hands. Obeying her orders, we did just that before some sort of light magic surrounded us. There was a bright flash and a second later, we found ourselves out on an open field, Afla Dilith's castle crumbling in the far distance. The goddess' powers truly were amazing. No longer in any danger, Tilith turned to face us all with a smile on her face.

"It was a good thing I found you guys or the castle would have crumbled on top of you! You should thank me for that!" she chimed happily.

We couldn't help but laugh at that. She was right though.

"Thank you," you said genuinely, flashing her a smile.

A soft smile crossed her face and, for a moment it looked like the goddess was going to cry. Instead, she hugged you tightly again.

"I'm so glad you're back. I was so worried!" she whispered, pulling back once more.

You gave her an apologetic look, which she returned with one of her special beaming smiles.

"You did it! You really did it! The Four Fallen Gods have been defeated! Thank you!"

She turned her attention to all of us.

"Thank you! All of you!"

We returned her thanks with smiles of our own.

"Goddess? Is that you?" A voice called out.

Popping out from behind some bushes was Karl. His eyes brightened when he saw us and he ran over. A smile crossed his face when he saw you.

"You really did it. I knew you could." he cheered.

"You look like you're not doing too bad yourself, Karl." you replied with a small smirk.

The ice warrior rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment at the compliment.

"We had a few mishaps but everything else was a piece of cake."

"What exactly was a piece of cake?! Lugina almost got crushed because the castle walls were closing in on him! If Tilith's magic didn't get him out of there, he would have been as flat as a pancake by now!"

Turning around, we were greeted by Seria who was making her way towards us. Hot on her heels was Lugina, an annoyed expression on his face. Behind him was Paris, ever composed as usual.

"Don't make me laugh! I helped you out!" Lugina growled.

"A man making such excuses is painful to watch." Paris frowned, rubbing her forehead.

As the three approached us, Tilith pouted.

"Have you guys even thanked Phantom at all? She was taken away from us but even so, still managed to defeat the final Fallen God." she scolded.

Paris was the first to respond with an apologetic bow to Tilith. She then turned her attention to you, a rare smile on her face as drew her sword and held it up before you in an act of respect.

"Thank you. You, your team and the goddess truly pulled through. I will carry your great act of valor in my heart, always." she said, sheathing her sword.

Lugina let out a small 'tch'.

"Why should I thank her?"

An annoyed expression crossed my face. For once, couldn't he say something nice? I had a terrible urge to tape his mouth shut but decided against it. You were more than capable of doing that yourself.

"I'm not going to be buddy-buddy with you just because you defeated all the Fallen Gods! You were the one that got kidnapped and if it wasn't for my help, you wouldn't have gotten rescued in the first place, much less defeat Afla Dilith!" he scoffed.

"Haha! You never change. What about you, Seria? Anything you have to say to her?" Karl laughed.

"N-not really...except...I'm glad your alright and...congratulations. You brought Tilith back and all." Seria mumbled before her eyes narrowed.

She sauntered up to you and grabbed a fistful of your shirt.

"But! If you didn't get taken in the first place, we wouldn't have had to struggle so much! What were you thinking? Getting kidnapped and then playing it all cool?! Do you have any idea how we were feeling? I was so worried about you! Your squad was so worried about you! We all were! You should apologize!"

A look of surprise crossing your face, you suddenly burst out into a fit of giggles.

"Eh? What's that face for? I'm not allowed to worry?" Seria asked, letting you go.

You regained your breath before frantically waving your hands in front of your face.

"No. No. Not at all. I'm sorry for worrying you. It won't happen again." you promised.

"What an annoying broad..." Lugina mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?!" Seria snapped back.

Like they usually did, they started to bicker. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lance facepalm himself, having seen this seen this scene one too many times. Fei and Fang however, watched in amusement. I had a feeling that they thought those two bickered like an old married couple. I had to stifle a chuckle at the thought.

"Would you look at that? Everything seems to be going well. Ho ho ho."

We didn't have to guess who that laughed belonged to as Elder Grah appeared, Lord Eriole close behind him. As they approached, Eriole nodded in acknowledgement towards you.

"You have done well. I remember when we first met; you were only just a wee chick. Now, you're a powerful summoner as well as demon. I'm very happy that you became friends with Karl." Elder Garah mused.

"I should be thanking you as well." Eriole jumped in.

"You have accomplished quite the feat. With Lord Lucius' power, the world and Randall are on their way to certain peace. I am only glad I could keep the promise I made to Lucius. This is certain to help me in my future endeavors." he continued.

However, upon hearing those words, something felt amiss.

"Lord Eriole. My apologies for making you wait."

At sound of the unfamiliar voice, all our heads turned to see a young woman approach Eriole. She had aqua hair and some sort of visor that covered her eyes.

"All preparations have been completed." she spoke.

"You have done well, Tesla." Eriole acknowledged.

We couldn't help but eye them suspiciously.

"What are you planning?" Karl asked.

"Paris has already explained it to you, hasn't she?" Eriole returned the question, a hint of a smirk on his face.

"The revolution for Elgaia has begun! It was the sole reason as to why I needed Grand Gaia to regain stability!" he explained.

The feeling of shock reverberated throughout the group.

"Paris!? What is going on? Who is he really?" Tilith demanded, an unusual bite of anger flaring in her voice.

The Imperial Guard frowned.

"I apologize for having kept this from you. As an Imperial Guard, my role has been to gather supporters to serve the rebellion against Randall and the young woman accompanying Lord Eriole is Tesla. She is his assistant."

"You Imperial dogs finally showing your true colors, eh?" Lugina mocked.

"No need to be so apprehensive. Were we not comrades only a moment ago?" Eriole reasoned.

"Save it."

Throwing a serious gaze to all of us, a look of distaste crossed his face when it landed on Elder Grah. The veteran summoner however, didn't flinch.

"In order to protect our interests from the buffoons ruling the empire, we will destroy them! You can understand the situation, can you? Randall holds no value. Wouldn't it be best to get rid of such a useless country? The fact that only summoners such as yourselves have the right to rule Elgaia will not be tolerated." Eriole explained simply.

My eyes narrowed at this man's ignorance but before I could voice my opinion, Karl interceded.

"We have no plans of taking over Elgaia!"

"While that may be what you say, what of your superiors?" Eriole retorted.

Elder Grah explained to him how they truly had no plans to take over but only make a peaceful life for the people. Eriole remained unconvinced as he started to walk away.

"The Imperial Guard will head towards Atharva and, once we rally, we shall come for the Randall Empire. If you have a change of heart, you are free to join our cause."

"Ha! How exactly do you plan to march to Elgaia from the verge of the gate?" Lugina questioned, a victorious smirk on his face.

Stopping in his tracks, Eriole turned his head slightly.

"Lord Lucius will lend us his power."

"What!? I haven't heard about that!" Tilith exclaimed in surprise.

"Lucius only trusted a select few with this information. It is time for use to take our leave. I pray that the next time we meet, we are not enemies." Eriole said simply before continuing on his way.

Paris started to follow before Tilith called her name, a look of betrayal on her face.

"Paris? Did you know about this? About the promise with Lucius?" she asked hesitantly.

Your eyes expressed the same emotions as Tilith. After all, Paris is a dear friend to you. Upon catching sight of your downtrodden expressions, she looked down in guilt.

"I am so sorry." she whispered before leaving.

No one stopped her from leaving. It was her choice after all. Still, that didn't lessen the gloomy feeling that settled upon our group. Turning towards you, it was Tilith who broke the awkward silence.

"I'm sure there's a good reason why Lord Lucius didn't tell me anything. "

She looked at you with a gaze that said she wasn't convinced at her own words. Looking down, she requested...

"Please give me some time. Let me go and talk to Lord Lucius about this. You should go home and get some well-deserved rest. When you recover, go to Antharva and talk to Paris for me? Deep down I don't think she really wants to do this. You might be the only one who can talk her out of it."

Eyes softening, you nodded your head at her request. She smiled sadly before her she handed the pile of clothes that she had been holding to you.

"These are yours. I found them while I was looking for you inside Afla Dilith. I figured you would want them back. Black doesn't really suite you." She said, trying to lighten the mood.

Thanking her, you took your clothes from her and she took off. Bidding farewell to the others, we decided it was time for us to finally go back home.

The welcome we received upon our arrival was overwhelming. Once word got out that we had returned, our entire family practically stampeded to us. There were scattered responses of relief and joy when they saw that you had come home. Selena was quick to run over and embrace you; tears of relief streaming down her face. Rin, Themis, Tia and Elmedia nearly blew their tops when they caught sight of our wounds. Lunaris stomped over to me and practically dragged me away, Lucana following close behind her as she called over Rin to help her out. The others received the same dragging treatment. As I was being dragged away, I turned around to see Selena, Elmedia by her side, as they guided you to another one of the small homes they could use as an infirmary.

.

..

...

"Ouch!" I winced.

The upper half of my armor was lying on the floor; Urias resting beside it as Lunaris carefully wrapped the wound on my side. Rin had healed most of it but the bandages would assure the wounds didn't reopen.

"Stop whining. You look like you got sucked through a tornado and spat out. I've never seen armor dented that badly or wounds that numerous. What the hell happened to you?" she asked in an annoyed but worried tone.

Lucana, her wounds already addressed, looked at me with a sympathetic smile.

"He was trying to keep a certain someone safe." she said.

I could practically feel my face flare up at those words. Letting my shirt fall over the bandaged wounds, Lunaris proceeded to bop the top of my head. Thankfully she did it lightly as my body was still fairly sore.

"Idiot." she mumbled.

Rin chuckled lightly, putting away the medical supplies she used to treat us.

"You know, if you really have such strong feelings for her, you should tell her." she suggested.

Geez...did everyone know?! I wasn't sure if my face could get any hotter but before I could say anything, Selena walked through the door.

"She's right, you know? You've felt that way for her for quite some time and haven't said a word to her. Stop being such a scaredy cat."

Ignoring her insult, I asked her the question that had been nagging at me since we got home.

"Is she okay?"

Smiling softly. Selena nodded.

"She's fine. Themis patched her up and she said she was going to head over to the sakura tree. She should really be resting but you know her. Never likes being grounded for too long. Well, as long as she takes it easy, she should recover soon."

I sighed in relief before a decision crossed my mind. Standing up, careful not to strain my wounds, I thanked Rin and Lunaris before making my way to the door. I was stopped just at the doorframe when Selena put a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Thank you for bringing her back home." she whispered, a small smile on her face.

Returning her smile, I continued on my way. There was something I needed to do first.

.

..

...

With my errand finished, I made my way towards the sakura tree. True to Selena's words, you were there, eyes intently focused on the petals falling around you. You were back in you old clothes, your white cloak swaying gently with the breeze. You had bandages wrapped around your neck and hands. Yet, even after finally being home there was sadness in your eyes. Approaching you, I couldn't help the look of concern that crossed my face.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

Your eyes widened in surprise and you jumped up slightly.

"Atro! I didn't notice you there. I'm sorry."

I shook my head, a small smile on my face as I asked my question once more. Once again, those crimson orbs saddened.

"Your letter..." you whispered.

I blinked once in confusion before you motioned to the empty pocket that was made to hold it.

"When I got my cloak back, I checked to see if it was there but it was gone. It must have gotten destroyed back at the castle," you explained sadly.

I gave you an apologetic look. It hurt me to see you so upset. You looked like a kicked puppy.

"It's just a letter." I tried to reason.

You only shook your head vigorously.

"No! It's not! It's YOUR letter!" You snapped back, a frown on your face.

Hearing you say that...it tugged at my heart. To know it meant so much to you. I was starting to feel guilty as I reached into the pouch I had tied to my waist. You eyed me curiously as I opened it and pulled out the very thing you wanted back.

My letter.

There was a gasp from you as I held it out for you to take.

"H-how?" you asked, gently prying it from my fingers.

I smiled softly.

"Tilith found it and while you were all distracted with your reunion with the others, she handed it to me for safe keeping." I explained.

There was a moment of silence before a light fist pressed against my unprotected chest.

"And you didn't tell me sooner? I was worrying over nothing!" you pouted.

I chuckled lightly.

"I'm sorry. I had to do something to it first."

Your head tilted to the side ever so slightly.

"What?" you asked, curious.

A nervous smile on my lips, I nudged the letter in your hands toward you.

"You should probably read it. I added something at the end." I whispered.

Your curiosity taking over, you carefully opened the letter and quickly read the bottom. I could only watch you with anticipation. As you finished reading, your crimson eyes widened every so slightly, your mouth forming a small 'o', before you looked down. An agonizing silence filled the air before I noticed tears fall from your eyes. Panicking, I was about to apologize and take my leave before you grabbed the hem of my shirt, stopping me in my tracks.

"Stupid..." I heard you whisper.

I was about to speak when you looked up at me with tears dripping down your face. All words I had at that moment got caught in my throat.

"Me too..." you sobbed.

My eyes widened at those words and for a moment, I thought I was dreaming. That wasn't the case. This was really happening. My heart blossomed with warmth and joy as I smiled fondly at you, eyes softening. Gently, I grasped your wrists with my hands. Tears still streamed down your face but I knew now that they were only tears of happiness. There was only one thing I wanted to do at this moment. Leaning down, my hands tugging you slightly forward, my lips met yours as the petals of the sakura tree fell around us.

In your hands, you held my letter tightly, the final words at the bottom of that piece of paper conveying the feelings I had for you all this time. It was a simple side message, a post scriptum as we call it. They were written neatly across the bottom left side of the parchment.

 _P.S. I love you._

 **It's Done! Wow. Twenty-two pages…I surprise myself! Thank you everyone for staying with my story and reading along! It means so much to me. This final chapter was actually inspired by a song called ScaPEGoat by Sawano Hiroyuki (Wonderful song, you should all listen to it when you get the chance). I really enjoyed writing this piece that I'm almost sad that it's done. I'll probably be writing little snippets of them in the future. Still, I hope it fills you with feels like it gave me lol. I should probably explain a few things. You're probably wondering why I left the summoner's name unknown until now. Well, for some reason, I felt that it would dilute her importance if I kept repeating it. She plays such a critical role in the story, being a person who never takes the spotlight but is always there to protect her family. Hence the name, Phantom. Being controlled by Afla Dilith, I almost didn't realize the water and fire sprites with him in the game. I originally thought of them as spirits but decided on them being demons since it would fit the theme of the Fallen God being able to control demons. The reason why Karl and the others didn't freak out over her demon form as well is because they had already seen it before so they know how she looks like. By the ending, she has reverted back to her human form. This was the actual team I used to defeat Afla Dilith and, as you probably already noticed, the summoner has replaced the sixth member. Oh and just in case you didn't know, that last move that Atro used is his ultimate brave burst called Tir Na Nog. And I also managed to finally get Lance to his 7 star which means he is a seven star here in the story! Can I just say that Aneil is absolutely adorable? I couldn't help but think of him as a little brother when I got him from the vortex so that explains that. Now if only RNGesus was kind enough to give me Dion and Quaid lol. Anyway, once again, thank you for reading. I look forward to writing more fanfics (definitely more brave frontier ones) and I look forward to you guys reading them. Take care!**


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